Method of forming sockets



D66. 12, L ET AL METHOD OF FORMING SOCKETS Filed Oct. 27, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENIORS 4%: as 6 3927141115" BY 2 26154 TTOR Dec. 12, 1933.

G. D. HILL ET AL METHOD OF FORMING SOCKETS Filed Oct. 27, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENIO RS 1761M T ORNE y Dec. 12, 1933. G, D H|L| r AL 1,939,553

METHOD OF FORMING SOCKETS Filed Oct. 27, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 12, 1933 PATENT OFFICE p 7 1,939,553 I v 7 'WMETHOD, F. FORMING socK 'rs lGerrit D. Hill and Augustus 0. Brown, 3a, Rochester, N. Y., assignors to Sargent & Greenleaf, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York v Application October 27, 1931. Serial No. 571,418

The'present invention" relates to-socket's and to the method of making the same and has for its object toprovide more particularly improvev ments in-socketsforreceiving the lower endsof Mil furniture legs, the sockets being also designed to receive any preferred or'well known formof floor pad, "which can be easily applied and removed whendesired. 1 a f f l A further object of the invention is to provide an improved'metliod-of constructing sockets of this class by which they can'be' manufactured at a relatively low cost ready tobe attached and secured when desiredx- A further. object of the invention is to provide an improved method of constructing sockets from substantially round or cylindrical tubing, from which sections of -the'desired length are cut and shaped according .to different requirements and to which are applied suitable devices preferably located 'interiorlyofthe sockets forconnecting them to the legs of tables, desks, and 7 other articles of furniture, or toother parts with which'sockets of this class may be found serviceablei 3 I 7 v A further object of the invention is to pro-' vide unimproved socket a'r'r'angedto receive-at oneend the lower extremity of the leg of a table or other article offurnitureand; at the other end a floor engaging pad, with an element inserted within the. socket" and secured therein to afford means forc'onne'cting 'th'esocket with said leg. To these and other-ends 'the'invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all I as will' b'e hereinafter more fully descrlbedgthe novel featuresbeing' pointed out in the claims at-theend' f the specification.

Inth'e drawings: I e Fig. l is asectional elevation of a-'socket constructed inaccor'dance with'the invention; y Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a cylindrical section oftubingrom which the socket is to be constructed{ H 1 r r I Fig. 3 is a viewin elevationshowing the tubing a formerfo'r reshaping the section;-

Fig.-.4.isanlelevation similar to Fig. 3'; bu viewed froma different angle and showing the driving'r'ram movedto-positi'on to engage the tubular section prior toforcing -it downwardly upontheformer;

Fig. i'l isya fragmentary .plan showing K the tu;

section in position; to be :forcedidownwa'rdly upon.

- Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the form- V 9 Claims. (01. 29-1482) bular section as it appears afterbeing shaped by the forming device shown in Fig. 3 and be--. fore the finishing dies are moved to operating position; l 1 v r Fig. 8 is a similar view with the finishing dies moved to final position; I i

Fig. 9 is a horizontal fragmentary section drawn to an enlarged scale to showthe approximate shape assumed by the tubular section when pressed downwardly by the ram upon' the forming device; r .7 I

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the result of moving the finishing dies into operating posi-'- tion;

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation, showing the ram and finishing dies in final operating position; 1

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation showingthe squared tubular section with the dished anchor plate in position to'be flattened by the overhead plunger to forcethe edges of the platewithin the groove of the section, and Fig. 13is a similar elevation with the plunger moved to its lowest position. I

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

' In the present invention the socket shown and described is particularly adapted for use on the lower ends of furniture legs as supporting shoes for the same and is also adapted for receiving the usual or any preferred type of floor pad; It will be unders'tood, however, that sockets constructed in accordance with the present method may be used for other purposes such forex ample as a joint forming means betwen two parts to be connected or associated one with another.

Generally in the construction of the present socket, cylindrical tubing is employed which is cut off in sections or lengths corresponding to the length of the sockets, a ledge or shoulder being preferably formed on the inner wall of the tubing in advance of. each severing operation. The operationsof forming the ledges and of severing the sections may be carried out, for example, by the use of an automatic screw machine orflby other suitable mechanism if desired. Preferably theledge is formed bycutting anannular groove within the wall of the socket slightly in advance of the severing operation. These preliminary steps in the-construction of the socket can be rapidly performed by an automatic screw machine, as stated, but it will be understood that other methodsmay be employed both in the forming of the ledges or shoulders on the inner parts within the sockets to secure them upon the walls thereof, as for example, by forcingthe extremities of said parts within grooves formedinteriorly of the socket or anchoring them uponledges or shoulders on the inner face of' the socket.

Referring to the drawings, one of the severed tubular sections is designated at 10a in Fig. 2 and has formed therein between its opposite ends a groove 11 by which an annular ledge or shoulder 12 is afforded for engagement with the peripheral edge portion 13 of a plate or other suitable member 14, said peripheral edge portion being received within the groove as shown in Fig. 13 and forced therein in a manner describedhereinafter. vThe socket 10 shown in Fig. 1 embodies one example of a completed article constructed in accordance with the present method, the socket having an upper pocket 15 for receiving the lower end, of one leg of a table or other article of furniture-with which the socket is tobe connected, preferably by a screw or-nail, not shown, which is extended upwardly into; the leg through ahole 16 formed in-the plate member 14.

Below the plate member the pocket 17 of the socket is provided for the receptionofa floor pad, not-shown, of anysuitable or well known design; or for other parts depending on the particular usages to which the socket may be put.

The present socketis constructedfrom relatively long lengths of cylindrical tubing preferably fed through a suitable machine, such for example as an automatic screw machine, and in the, advancing end of the-tubing the annular grooves 11 are cut in the successive sectionsto besevered, each of which is severed from the tubing immediately following the cutting ot the groove therein. Bythis'method large numbers of the socket sections shown in Figs; 2, 3; and

4 can be quickly produced ready to beformed either into squared sockets, or into other shapes havinga greater number ofsides than; the squared. sockets. In the squaring-of the sections; a. tapered former 18 is provided on a suitable baseql9, the taper correspondingsubstantially to thatof the furniture, legstowhich the sockets are to be attached. The former is made slightly longer than the socket section and thecorners at the top of the former are beveled as indicated at 20 to permitthe end of the section to be, inserted thereon in advance. of the reshaping operation, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. When this has been done the ram 21 connected with any suitable operating means,not shown, is lowered to move the section downwardlylto final position upon the former as indicated'in Fig. 11. Upon completion tion to correspond to those of the former 18,. as

shown in Figs. 8 and 10, the operation of converting the round or cylindrical section 10a to the squared section 10 being thus completed. The dies are then withdrawn and the squared section removed from the former. The dies are held, in. proper alinement on the base 19 by the guides 26, thereon and are moved to and from operating position by any suitable means, not shown. It will be understood that the movement of the dies to operating position takes place immediately following the movement of the ram 21 to thepositionfshown at Fig. 11 and that the dies serve to complete the squaring of the section. under pressure sufficient to afford a proper set to the metal so that the socket will hold its shape when removed from the former.

The plate member 14 for connecting the socket with the leg or-other part to be inserted within the pocket 15 is cut from suitable stock and is then dished or bowed by suitable forming means,

not. shown, whereby to shorten the distances; between its opposite edges inorder that it. may be moved within the socket to a position opposite. the groove 11, as shown'in- Fig-.12. Inthisposition it is supported by a block or anvil 27' ona base 28-uponwhich the socket'rests. I A plunger or ram 29 isthen moved by suitable means, not shown, into position toengage and flatten the plate member whereby to. force its opposite edges within the groove 11 of thesocket, as shown in Fig. 13, the socket being: thus completed with its. upper and lower pockets l5 and 17401 receiving respectively the leg of a table or other. article of furniture and a floor pad, not shown. 1 When the socket is applied torthe leg it is secured thereon by a. screw not shown, extending within. the leg through the opening 16 of the plate member 14, the edges of the latter being anchored upon thev ledge 12 forming the; upper side ofthe groove 11- in which.- said edges disposed. V

The groovescan beformed withinthezsections in'advance of the severingoperations with comparatively little extra expense and, afford recesses into which the edges of the plate:;members can be anchored merely byreshaping the plates within the socketsor flattening, the same as described. While.- the. dishing; of. the plate and the flattening ofthesame within the socket constitutes a desirable method of forming: the dividing wall between the upper and lower ends. of the: socket for the purpose stated; it will be understood that anchor plates for; the. sockets. can readily be formed and applied otherwise than by the dishing andflattening method. sincethe desired. result may be accomplished, by; adjusting, reshaping, or otherwise operating upon. a suitable anchoring device within the socket to cause it to engage and be supported by; the walls of the socket. a

Where the furniture legs are round. attheir lower ends instead of rectangular, the cylindris cal socket section shown in 2 can be given the required taper, by forcing itzdown'uporr a correspondingly tapered 'i'orminga tool as; by means of a ram or: plunger: Subsequently: a dished: plate may be inserted withinsaid section and flattened to force: its. peripheral edge portions within the groove thus: completing the socket ready for connection to the leg ofa table or other article of, f urnitureeby ascrew extending upwardly through theplate into the. leg;

The sections can, of course; be severed from relatively long lengths. of squared tubing; but this method ismore expensivethan squaring the short severed sections of round tubing and it is therefore preferred to groove and sever the sections from cylindrical tubing as described.

We claim:

1. The method of forming a socket from a tubular section, comprising forming an interiorly disposed groove in the wall of the section, tapering the section, subsequently squaring the section, positioning an element within the section having oppositely disposed edge portions and operating upon said element within the section to force said edge portions within the groove.

2. The method of forming sockets from cylindrical tubing, comprising forming a ledge inteformed thereon, shaping the section'to provide a socket having a plurality of angularly'disposed side walls, inserting a plate member within the socket and reshaping it therein to anchor it upon said ledge. V

3. The method of forming sockets for furniture legs, comprising forming an interiorly disposed groove in the wall of a tubular section, tapering the section and reshaping the same to provide a socket having a plurality of angularly disposed sides, inserting an element within the socket for connecting it with said leg, and applying pressure to said element to force portions thereof within said groove.

4. The method of forming sockets from cylindrical tubing, comprising forming a ledge interiorly of the tubing on the wall thereof, severing a section from the tubing having the ledge formed thereon, shaping the section to provide a socket having a plurality of angularly disposed side walls, inserting a member within the socket to form a transversely extending wall between its ends, and operating upon said member to force opposite edge portions thereof in position to be engaged and held by the ledge. i

5. The method of forming sockets for fumiture legs from cylindrical tubing, comprising forming an annular groove in the wall of the tubing, severing a section from the tubing, shaping the section to provide a socket having a plurality of angularly disposed side walls, shaping a plate member to shorten the distance between two or more of its opposing edges, inserting the plate member within the socket, and applying pressure to the plate member toincrease the distance between said edge portions whereby to force them within the groove formed in said side walls.

6. The method of forming sockets from lengths of cylindrical tubing, comprising successively grooving and cutting sections from the tubing containing the grooves, forming the sections to provide angularly disposed side walls thereon, applying dish-shaped plates within the sections, and flattening the plates within the sections to force their edges within the grooves.

7. Themethod of forming sockets for furniture legs from sections of cylindrical tubing having interiorly formed grooves, comprising taperriorly of the tubing on the wall thereof,'sever ing a section from the tubing having the ledge ing the section by moving it longitudinally upon a tapered anvil having angularly disposed sides, subsequently shaping the section upon the anvil to correspond to the shape of the latter, and

placing a dish-shaped plate member within the section and applying pressure to the plate memher to force its edges into the groove of the section.

8. The method of forming sockets for furniture legs comprising interiorly grooving and cutting sections from cylindrical tubing, tapering the section by moving it longitudinally upon a tapered anvil having angularly disposed sides, shaping the section upon the anvil by moving dies in contact with the outer walls of the section and forcing said walls inwardly upon the walls of the anvil, subsequently placing a plate member within the reshaped section, and deforming it within the section to force its edges within the groove of the section.

9. The method of forming sockets for fumiture legs .from cylindrical sections of tubing, comprising forcing the cylindrical section longitudinally upon the exterior surface of an anvil having angularly disposed sides, subsequently shaping the'section upon the anvil by moving 5 dies in contact with the outer walls of the section and forcing said walls inwardly upon the walls of the anvil, subsequently inserting a dish-shaped plate member within the reshaped section and expanding it therein to urge its edges into contact with the walls of the section whereby toanchor the plate member within the section.

GERRIT D. HILL, AUGUSTUS C. BROWN, 31). 

